A New Light Rises
by Gaia caecilia
Summary: Geran and Ce'nedra go to the woods of the Dryads when they hear Xantha's health is failing. When there they discover a small group of a race Geran previously did not know existed and only appear when a Dryad queen is about to die. During their visit Geran acquaints himself with their Lady and thing flow from there.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Alaea and the concept of the Xadari. Everything that is recognisable belongs to the genii that were David and Leigh Eddings.

This is a story I wrote the vast majority of three years or so ago but recently had a spark of inspiration and finished it. I'm pretty sure it isn't what I originally planned to do with it, its a lot shorter for a start but now I have finished writing it I am posting.

Enjoy.

**A New Light Rises**

Geran ducked his head under the branches, following his mother and holding onto his youngest sister, a girl of about 5 years of age. Ce'nedra had somewhat pointedly left their escort behind near the edge of the woods and only took her children with her. Thankfully Beldaran and Xadara were old enough to ride on their own but Xgara still needed to be kept hold of – not only did she tend to get distracted but even for her age she was tiny, like all the females of the family, she showed her dryad heritage.

It was not long before they were met by the resident dryads, Xera leading the party and looking singularly drawn. Ce'nedra flung herself off her horse and wrapped her arms round her cousin's neck before pulling back.

"How is she?" the half dryad asked worriedly. Xera sighed. Queen Xantha of the Dryad had been dying for some time now but recently she had taken a turn for the worse. After a pause, the crown princess looked up into her cousin's eyes.

"The Xadari are looking after her right now." The tiny queen's eyes widened as she looked at her cousin, skin paling.

"The Xadari are here?" She almost whispered. Not good news. The Xadari were only ever seen when a queen of the dryads was about to die. The few times in history they had been seen, they had turned up, nursed the queen through the last of her illness, crowned the new queen and disappeared again. It hadn't happened in either Xera or Ce'nedra's lifetime, though obviously it had in Xantha's, and neither had any idea where the strange ethereal race came from, simply that they were a race related to the dryads in some way. Their presence meant that Xantha had a very short time to live.

"Yes, they are expecting you; the one that seems to be their leader asked after you and told us to expect you here. No, I have no idea how she knew." The younger looked slightly alarmed before blinking at her cousin.

"Their leader is female?" Xera nodded.

"Well, I think she is their leader, it is hard to tell and I can barely remember their language at all, let alone enough to work out that for certain but they all seem to defer to her." At Ce'nedra's look of surprise, the elder dryad explained. "Their language has diverged from ours over the years of separation so it is only vaguely alike. Anyway, I believe we have a bunch of mysterious Xadari and a dying dryad to meet now." Ce'nedra nodded and her cousin led on. Geran followed on, wondering about the strange conversation. He had never heard of these Xadari and was more than curious about the strange conversation.

XXX

When they reached the clearing where they had always met Xantha when they had previously come to the woods of the dryads, Geran saw one thing noticeably out of place from what he remembered. There was a tall young lady who he was pretty sure wasn't human wondering around doing something or other.

When they arrived the lady turned to face the group and Geran became even more certain she wasn't human. Though she was human shaped, she looked like a good sneeze would blow her away and not only did her hair _literally_ glow but it was not actually any colour but simply 'pale'. It shimmered between shades of gold, brown and reds changing as she moved, never staying any particular colour for very long. The waist length locks seemed both thick and so light they floated through the air and settle down almost like a feather. All her other features were pale and very delicate and she seemed almost like a wood spirit rather than a solid person.

Xera bowed her head to the lady before showing them to where they could camp. The ethereal lady smiled slightly and watched them with the slightest hint of curiosity in her gaze. Once they were a slight way away from her, Ce'nedra looked to her cousin and whispered to her.

"Who is she? I'm guessing that she is one of the Xadari." Xera looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes she is, she seems to be their lady but I have no idea as to her name, she hasn't offered it. I don't know any of their names. They just flitter round like solid wind caring for Xantha. There are only five or six of them and they all glow like that. They definitely are actually solid though. That one slapped one of the males quiet solidly in a little argument that they thought no one saw. I get this impression that not quiet everything is all harmony there." Ce'nedra raised an eyebrow at her and they exchanged one of those significant female looks that Geran didn't get.

XXX

Much later, once Geran had finished putting the tents up for his mother and sisters, the strawberry blond prince was leaning against one of trees, watching the female only populace flitter around. To his surprise the Xadari lady floated over to him with a friendly smile. She tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Walk with me, prince?" She asked. Her voice was surprisingly substantial considering how much she looked like a spirit. He smiled back at her and offered her his arm. As Xera had said, she was far more solid than she looked as the grip she had on his arm was very definitely there.

The two of them were silent for some time as they walked and Geran simply observed the ethereal lady on his arm in interest. Eventually he got the guts up to ask her a question.

"What is your name lady? Mine is Geran." Iridescent blue eyes flickered up to his before she looked down again with a small smile.

"I know, child of the God slayer. I am Alaea. It is a pleasure to meet you." She paused. "You are the first male not of my kind I have met. I am curious as to a dryad bearing a son. We were unaware it was possible." Geran looked at her in some surprise. Her speech was musical in cadence, and she was quiet softly spoken. Lovely as her voice was though, it was what been said that interested the prince of Riva.

"The Borune dryads have been bearing sons for centuries lady. How do you know who my father is?" She let out a delicate laugh as she looked at him.

"My people have seers as well, Prince Geran, though they find the new prophesy somewhat... interesting." He grinned at her and laughed. "What are these 'Borune' dryads?" She asked carefully.

"A dryad married the son of a grand duke of the Borune family in return for a contract that the woods of the dryads would be totally inviolate and the son became the first Borune emperor of Tolnedra, since then the dryad strain has bred true in the females of the family. My mother is the produce of the last Borune imperial dynasty." Alaea nodded and they walked in silence for a little while. "Xera said that your people spoke some sort of dialect of the dryad tongue and since you aren't known to the world in general so how do you speak my tongue so well?"

Alaea smiled slightly at him and bit her lip, looking down for a moment before answering him.

"You could say I am a bit more adventurous than many of the Xadari, I have gone out into your world a little, well sneaked anyway." Geran decided not to comment on the last statement. As he looked at her, wondering whether to ask how on earth she would be able to pass among humans when she was so obviously none human, she smiled at him and laughed slightly. "I do not always look so otherworldly you know. If it is necessary I can appear as solid as you, and have a single colouring. It takes effort so we don't unless necessary but it is possible."

They had nearly made it back to camp by this point and the conversation dropped off as they returned to the main clearing of the camp. Now there was another of Xadari in the clearing, this one clearly male though no less ghostly in appearance, though he was obvious not in a good mood. Alaea sighed deeply and rolled her eyes.

"My keeper obviously missed me." She muttered sourly, sounding remarkably human. Geran smiled slightly.

"If you want to argue again, go a little further away if you don't want to be watched." He muttered back. She gave him a startled look before letting go of his arm to go to the Xadari. Once again Geran decided to fade out of sight in this community where he was essentially useless and watch the goings on.

Conveniently, where he was he could hear the discussion and though he couldn't understand the words of the light, musical tongue, the tones were the same as with humans. Round the citadel Geran had made a habit of watching people and had long mastered how to understand without knowing what the words meant. It had started with Zandramas but had been a skill he kept on and today, it seemed particularly useful to have.

At a guess, he would have put the male down as jilted lover or someone Alaea had turned down at some point. It was also clear that he thought he had some authority over her which she contended. He was also willing to bet that he was the one that had argued with her before, they were icily polite to each other but it was not hard to spot the simmering anger beneath both voices.

Even when their conversation was over, the other didn't stop watching Alaea, as if making sure she didn't misbehave. Later on in the evening, a few others appeared from somewhere, got food and disappeared again. In all that time Alaea and the male were stiffly polite to each other, and only spoke when necessary.

Eventually, Geran went to bed determined to have another little walk with the lady and find out a little more. He nearly laughed as it occurred to him that apparently species made no more difference than race when it came to behaviour. Well, at least this trip had got a little less depressing he supposed.


	2. Chapter 2

The new light rises: chapter 2

As the first rays of dawn touched the tent, Geran stuck his head out of his tent. He hadn't really slept well and knew that he wasn't going to get back to sleep. To his surprise he saw Alaea standing to one side of the clearing, hands fisted at her side and back to him. She was still dressed in only a light, fluttery dress that must have been too thin to be opaque but somehow managed it. Geran retrieved his cloak, walked over to her and settled the wool fabric round her shoulders. After a second she turned to him, he suspected composing herself in that short time.

When he could look at her face, it was taught with tension and there was a fire burning in the eyes which were presently the colour of ice. She regarded him silently for a second before grabbing his hand and pulling him off, far from the main area at an impressive speed, especially as she didn't appear to be running.

Eventually they reached a little stream where they stopped. Geran panted slightly as she stood absolutely stock still for a good minute before she turned and flung herself into his chest and automatically the prince held her to him. She was shaking lightly as she clung to his chest, almost as if she were crying. Eventually she pulled back and looked at him sheepishly.

"Sorry, I was a little distressed." Her voice hitched slightly and Geran raised an eyebrow that told her he thought she was understating somewhat. "Layadan can be a bit, erm, _rough_ at times." Geran's face hardened.

"He didn't hurt you did he?" Judging by her distress they had had another argument after he had gone to bed. Alaea gave him a wet smile, a somewhat insipid expression with no joy behind it.

"No but his word were harsh. My people do not believe in women with minds of their own." Though she had started off softly she virtually spat the last few words. Geran nearly started at the vehement anger in her voice and pulled her close to him in a one armed hug. Alaea rested her head on his shoulder as she stared at the stream. Eventually she spoke again. "He did not approve of me going on a walk with you, we have strong views about modesty. He said some unpleasant things on the subject."

Geran could guess. He toyed with asking but eventually decided to jump in with a different question.

"Is there some sort of... romantic connection between you two?" He asked as tactfully as he could. Alaea gave a highly frustrated sigh.

"He is who my father wants me to marry since I must apparently have a good strong man to look after me and make sure I behave and, Urg!" If she had been a young child she would have stamped her foot. Geran held her close. Eventually he thought of something to say.

"You know you said that a dryad birthing a son was of interest, and that you were more adventurous than many of you kind..." Alaea frowned up at him in confusion. "If I told my mother about this situation, she would be inclined to invite you to come with us to investigate further at which point we could prevent anyone you didn't want getting to you being able to drag you back."

Alaea looked up at him hopefully.

"Lady Ce'nedra would be willing to do that?" Geran nearly laughed.

"Considering she tried something similar to escape being sent to Riva because of that clause in the treaty after Torak's invasion, I would say that she would help you especially as she is a highly independent minded, strong willed and rebellious. Don't take her advice on hair dye though." Alaea laughed softly. Geran felt a small amount of pride at having cheered her up a bit.

"Thank you. Can you get her to ask or whatever when none of the others are around?" Geran agreed, not asking why she wouldn't want the rest of her people to know. They stood there in silence for a little while, just observing the water. Suddenly someone made a disapproving sort of noise almost like a cough behind them. Both Alaea and Geran turned round.

Standing there was Layadan, glaring hard at the two of them. Geran noticed his hair was markedly darker than Alaea's though still no definable colour. He looked absolutely furious. Raising a calm eyebrow at the Xadari and giving him a hard, icy look, Geran very deliberately put his arm round Alaea again, holding her to him.

"The lady is under my protection and you will not attack her verbally or physically." He stated implacably, in the tone his father used when being the big scary godslayer king. The other male's jaw just tightened as he continued glaring at Geran.

"He can't understand you; I am the only one of my race who can." Alaea whispered, curling deeper into his chest. The glare got stronger.

"Translate then, I'm not leaving you here with him." Geran replied in a taut whisper, not taking his eyes off the other male. Alaea wisely did what she was told. The male spat something which didn't need much translation in response. Geran tightened his grip on Alaea again and led her back to the main clearing, taking a wide circle round the irate male.

XXX

As soon as they got back to the clearing, Geran gave his mother a look and nodded at her. She got the point, knowing that her son wanted to talk at some point. Ce'nedra smiled gently at the Xadari and asked her if she wanted to play with the children. Alaea seemed to cheer up a bit and happily took over the watching of Xgara, who seemed delighted with her new playmate. Layadan got back not long after that, and glared at Geran but disappeared off when he saw Alaea was undetainable.

Geran pulled his mother aside as soon as it wasn't obvious and explained what he gathered of the situation. Unsurprisingly she was enraged. Thankfully she had learnt to conceal her temper and channel it and she immediately started plotting.

XXX

The next morning they were woken by floating singing and as Geran got out of his tent he saw Alaea standing at the base of Xantha's tree, palms together, eyes closed and head bowed. As the song died out she stepped forward in a measured pace. Behind her came four Xadari, including the temperamental male, holding a litter. Alaea walked to the centre of the clearing before turning round and looking straight at Xantha's tree and vines shot out of the ground and took the litter and created a sort of live bier for the litter. The vines tilted the bier slightly so it was clear the ancient dryad queen was lying on the litter, clearly dead.

Alaea paced closer to the bier and knelt down. She seemed to slightly rearrange Xantha's hands and placed something in them before rising and stepping back. The vines rose again, forming a living coffin round the dead queen. She then bowed her head again and proceeded from the clearing, the rest of the elves following her.

The moment was broken by Xera collapsing into Ce'nedra's arms.

XXX

The clearing round Xantha's tree was deserted and moved to the area around Xera's tree which was far smaller.

Once they had moved, Geran of course had to put up the new tents. Someone quietly explained that there would be a week's mourning period before Xera was crowned though the prince was wondering about the crowning. He couldn't recall Xantha having ever had a crown on and wondered about whether there was an official crown or what.

Alaea was mostly tied up with the official mourning rites and whatever they were doing but Ce'nedra did manage to get a few private conversations with the lady, made far easier by Geran being conspicuously away from her. He never found out the names of the other two males of the party but there was a certain hint of protectiveness about both males and the female almost behaved like a chaperone without saying it.

All the while, Ce'nedra was quietly organising Alaea's escape from her own people, an impressive feat since she had no contact outside the woods of the dryads. Thankfully, the Rivan Queen knew which dryads were the right to talk to and which would give them away.

XXX

The day before the coronation Alaea finally managed to get some time alone to walk with Geran as they gathered flexible bits of vines and general growth. Geran didn't both asking what was the point in this exercise but instead briefed her on some of the details.

The main issue was the fact that after a few discussions between Alaea and Ce'nedra, they had decided that there was going to be absolute secrecy on the part of the Xadari, that was to say that Alaea wasn't going to tell her people she was leaving until the last possible moment, or preferably some time after the last possible moment actually. Geran had suggested a note, a la his father. Ce'nedra had just glared at that suggestion.

Once they had gathered enough material they returned to the new clearing of the Dryads, they sat together, Geran handing her whatever she needed for whatever she was making. She wove the material into a thin, ornate band with craftsmanship to a level that Geran had never seen. To his surprise, as the band reached a fairly decent length, she pulled something out of her pocked and wove it into the band. Once she had finished, she held the creation up for Geran's approval.

Geran regarded the _living_ crown with surprise. She had made a terrifically beautiful crown out of the vines and leaves and twigs and the focal point was a large natural amber that had only been polished in terms of refinement. Alaea smiled at the look on his face as he regarded the gem.

"It is the jewel of the trees. They occur naturally at home and we bring one for each queen's crown when we come. The one in Xantha's crown was what I placed in her hands at her funeral. The same will happen at Xera's when she dies. It is kept as the symbol of their right as queen even after the original crown has rotted." Geran nodded absently.

She smiled sweetly at him and squeezed his hand gently.

"Come, we must eat and then sleep, tomorrow is a big day." Geran smiled at her and then blinked as he realised that night was falling. Where had the time gone?


	3. Chapter 3

ANLR Chapter 3

Xera's coronation was the most simple ceremony of its nature that Geran had ever seen. The four other Xadari in the party took up points in the clearing at each of the four points of the compass. Alaea stood in the centre of the clearing, once again with palms pressed together and head bowed.

Xera was lead into the clearing by several other dryads, wearing a proper dress rather than the tunics most dryads wore. As she was first sighted, the Xadari started singing a soft, cheerful melody which stirred Geran to stand a little taller and almost made him want to sing along.

When Xera reached Alaea, the taller female looked up and smiled at her, before kneeling on one knee and moving her hands to above Xera's head, palms facing upwards. Geran missed exactly what happened but suddenly, in her hands was the living crown that Alaea had made the previous day.

Very gently, the Xadari placed the wreath on Xera's head and to Geran's surprise the wreath _bloomed_. The flowers which were suddenly covering the wreath were a range of wild flowers that covered everything except for the amber at the front.

Alaea then took Xera's hand and turned her round so all the gathered dryads could see her and formally presented her. There was a general feel of approval and then there was a party and that was it. The succinctness of the ceremony surprised the crown prince of Riva.

XXX

While they were celebrating, Alaea took Ce'nedra aside and warned her that the Xadari would be leaving around dawn the next day as all they had come to do was done. Ce'nedra then passed on to Xera that her own party would be leaving the next day, though slightly later in the day.

The next morning Alaea got up with the rest of her people and the group left off in a fairly loose flittering group, looking like fading shades and none of the rest of the group noticed when one of them flitted off and went back the way she had come, the males having taken the front from protective purposes.

When Alaea had returned to Xera's clearing, Ce'nedra and her children were ready to leave and did so without further ado. It only took a day's ride or so to get to the edge of the woods and to the waiting escort party since they rode at a fast gallop, Alaea having taken Xadara's horse and was holding the nine year old to her chest as they galloped.

Ce'nedra and her family's honour guard camping at the edge of the forest were rather surprised to see an extra female in the group but Geran was more surprised because suddenly the Xadari appeared much more human.

Though she was still delicate her hair had settled into a shade similar to his own reddish blonde hair and her eyes were a lovely shade of turquoise. She also no longer looked like she would blow away in a strong wind. There was still an otherworldliness about her, even though she had also lost her glow. When she spotted him staring at her she just winked at him cheerfully and he closed his jaw.

Much later on, Geran was able to sit and talk to her.

"How did you change your appearance?" He asked without preamble. She grinned at him. Since they had stopped Alaea had seemed to be in a disturbingly good mood for some reason that Geran didn't get considering she'd just run away from her people.

"Your people are not the only ones with magic you know. It is really only a trick of the light. Colour is only a type of light and light is a most natural thing, plants use it to live and all life is based on it. Xadari are creatures of nature and as such, everything about us is derived from nature. I simply manipulated the light that comes from me to be like how I wished it. You have a nice hair colour by the way." Geran frowned at the last comment. Alaea raised an eyebrow and eyed him sardonically until Geran worked out that her new hair colour was _exactly_ the same shade as his. She had chosen to have the same hair colour. He blushed slightly at the compliment.

At that point his mother sat down next to him and smiled at the lady. The Xadari smiled back and greeted Ce'nedra. After a little small talk the queen turned serious.

"Alaea, exactly how much time do we have before your absence is noted?" Alaea paused before answering the queen.

"Well, they will travel about three days before stopping to rest, we do not tire nearly as easily as your kind seems to. Once they have noted my absence they will most likely return to the Woods of the dryads to search for me. That time will probably involve at least half a day of rest since they will not be able to go on without any after three solid days of travel. We should be out of range by then and I have been concealing that by which they would track me by but they may pick up on it if they search hard enough, hopefully five days is enough for what little trail I have left to fade. Once they have searched around and hopefully found no trail, they will return to my father. No doubt he will then personally come after me. It will probably take between one and two months for him to reach the woods of the dryads, considering that he most likely will be travelling as fast as possible, it will most likely be closer to one month but after that I am not sure, I have no idea how long it will take for him to find me but I have no doubt he will eventually. He will not take the humiliation of his daughter running away lying down." Ce'nedra and Geran looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Alaea.

"What if he doesn't realise you ran away?"

"If I haven't ran away then I have been kidnapped. In such a case it would dishonour him not to rescue me. Either way it is a point of honour to retrieve me – either way, by his view, you have stolen his property." Geran stared at her, shocked while Ce'nedra's expression turned stormy.

"Property?"

"Ours is a very patriarchal society and a daughter is considered a special type of property, unofficially of course but for all intents and purposes we are. A female is meant to be silent, only holding her father or husband's opinions and making her menfolk's life easier. We are supposed to provide healthy sons and look after the children, etc. My mother is absolutely perfect by my father's standards, she has no brain in her head and simply is an extension of my father. I have rather too much of him in me to be such a door mat though." Ce'nedra snorted. Geran carefully kept his expression neutral, from what he heard his mother was a perfect example of too much like her father to be a good daughter.

XXX

By the time, by Alaea's estimation, her people would have got back to the woods of the dryads to start looking for her, their party had reached Tol Honeth. Varana seemed a bit surprised at their apparent haste, the journey normally taking longer than that, especially with two little girls, but greeted them affectionately anyway. When he came to Alaea, his eyebrows shot into his hairline at the beautiful young lady.

"Uncle, this is Alaea o f the Xadari, we acquired her in the woods of the dryads." Ce'nedra introduced, smiling at the surprised look on the Tolnedran emperor's face.

"I was unaware any other humans would be in the woods, especially at such an important time." He said carefully.

"I am not human, your majesty, and my kind do not reside in the woods of the dryads, we live beyond where your kind can reach." She smiled at the slightly poleaxed look on Varana's face. "Your people would call mine elves, Xadari is our own name for our kind. It is also the name the Dryads use for our kind, they being the only ones in contact with both our kind and yours." Geran had to stop his jaw dropping as she lifted her strawberry blond hair back from a delicately pointed ear, wondering how he had missed such a feature. Alaea apparently noticed his surprise and grinned mischievously at him.

XXX

Varana frowned at them, sitting in a chair to one side of the room as Ce'nedra and the dress makers fussed round Alaea. The elf only had the small number of floaty gowns she had brought for her stay in the woods of the Dryads and Ce'nedra had decided she needed a larger wardrobe. Only a small number were being made in Tol Honeth, but with the volatile situation involving the fact that her people were most likely searching for her, Varana was sitting in on the fitting session as they talked over making sure that her people couldn't drag her back.

"Once you have spent the obligatory few days here, you should get to Riva as soon as possible. I presume I would be right in thinking the fact that Riva is an island will slow them down significantly?" He looked to the elf standing in the centre of the group of women. She nodded.

"My people do not do water at all. It would take some while for them to be able to work out how to cross the water, or where I had gone when taking a boat." The emperor seemed pleased at the notion that the Xadari were not a see faring people. Geran rose, as much as he quite like seeing Alaea in only her shift as they fitted clothing round her, watching women fuss over clothes was not a thing the young man really liked doing.

"Shall I go talk to the Cherek ambassador, then? I have no doubt he would be willing to lend us his ship and there is nothing like a Cherek ship to get you where you need to go fast." Varana grinned and agreed while Ce'nedra agreed somewhat more resignedly. Geran was pretty sure his mother would have preferred a ship ran by more sober people.

As the prince left the room he flash Alaea a smile which she returned. Hopefully she wouldn't get sea sick.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Much to Geran's pleasure, when he got to the Cherek embassy, Barak and his son were both there as well the Cherek ambassador. The two towering Chereks greeted Geran enthusiastically and pulled him into a seat where there was a miraculously appearing mug of beer beside him.

"So what are you doing here, Geran?" Barak asked jovially. The crown prince did not have to look inside the keg to tell that the three Alorns were quite a way through already.

"We need to get back to Riva a bit quicker than planned. The ship we had organised to take us back won't be here for at least a week and we'd rather be in Riva by then." Unrak looked curiously at the young man he was supposed to protect.

"What's the rush Geran?" He asked. Geran got this impression that Unrak hadn't been nearly so far into the beer as his father and the ambassador.

"While in the woods of the Dryads we picked up an elf who wants to escape her father, who doesn't sound the nicest person out there at all. According to Alaea, that's the elf by the way, her people are really not sea going people so, since we offered to help her escape her people, we decided that getting her to Riva as soon as possible is the best way to protect her. It is particularly important to get her there quickly as her people can travel three days without rest and travel really fast. There is also the point that her father will go absolutely apeshit when he finds out she's gone and well, I think Alaea wants to be as far as possible from her father when that happens."

Barak laughed out loud at the explanation.

"Our young prince has a chivalrous streak! Are you sure you don't have any Arend in you?" Geran glared at the big man.

"The guy that had been sent to watch over her was the one her father wants her to marry and I really don't like him. What sort of self respecting man yells at a woman and actually bruises her skin?" He'd found out that on the journey from the woods of the dryads when Alaea had rolled up her sleeves to help cook. The bruises were mostly faded but still there enough to be see. Both Geran and Ce'nedra had been livid. The expressions on the Chereks' faces went hard. Though far from the first civilised people, brutalising your intended was not on.

"The _seabird_ is in port right now. It will take a little while to round up and sober up the crew but we can leave by tomorrow evening, if you lot are ready to leave by tomorrow's evening tide." Geran nodded, pleased. Once they were on the high seas and in a Cherek ship there was no one who could get to them.

XXX

Two days later, Geran and Unrak stood together watching Alaea. She was standing right at the front of the ship, wind whipping through her hair as she held on to the railings. Geran smiled slightly as he noticed she had let go of the illusion that made her appear human slightly so she glowed softly. She looked like a cross between the figurehead from the front of a boat and the spirit of the sea. More than once one of the sailors stopped to stare at the beautiful sight before blinking and carrying on with their work.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Unrak commented softly. Geran smiled at his friend. After a pause Unrak spoke again. "You've heard that many sailors believe that the sea is a lady?" Geran nodded. "Many of them think she is the lady sea's physical form. They think you have brought the most amazing luck upon the ship by bringing her aboard. They would fight to the death for her I think. You have to admit that she looks like it."

Geran smiled and paused before answering.

"She once told me that her kind are beings of nature and they reflect nature. Round here, that nature is the sea and as such she presently reflects it. I think she enjoys sailing by the way." Unrak grinned and laughed. Alaea's enjoyment of sailing was indisputably obvious.

XXX

Geran could tell his father was surprised to see the addition to the party that arrived in Riva's harbour, not to mention the fact the party was at least a week earlier than expected. Geran watched with interest as the two evaluated each other as they walked up to the citadel.

Once they were there, Garion and Kail both sat down to receive the explanation for Alaea's presence. Shortly after that Ce'nedra whisked the she-elf off to do something girly. Neither Geran nor his father bothered to ask what. Once the females were safely out the way Garion turned to his son.

"You fancy her, don't you?" His father commented. Kail, Barak and Unrak all grinned as Geran blushed deeply. Garion grinned. "I think it will not take too long for us to have a new crown princess, presuming that the lady is favourably disposed?" Geran blushed even harder.

All three males then started to give him advice on wooing her, much to Geran's embarrassment. There was not a day on which the arrival of dinner time was more welcome.

XXX

A few days later, Geran was able to extract Alaea from his mother's grasp and took her down into the city. Partly to escape the way many of the Rivans watched Alaea curiously, new people within the city itself being rare, he led her into Jorsan's shop. The glassmaker, one of his father's friends, smiled as he looked up at the two visitors.

"Your highness," Jorsan bowed at Geran before kissing Alaea's hand with another bow, "and the Lady of the Sea." Grean got a lopsided grin as he raised his eyebrow at that term of address. "That would be the unofficial title the people have given your Lady, Barak's sailors have been talking enthusiastically with various people. Its generally believed that the lady is the spirit of the sea."

Alaea giggled slightly.

"Seriously?" Jorsan grinned, apparently pleased that he had made her laugh. He seemed even more pleased when she went to examine the various glass figurines on display. Though they were by far not the only things sold, Geran knew that Jorsan loved producing the glass figurines.

As Alaea looked at all the glass figurines, Geran examined the glass jewellery in another cabinet. He spotted a delicate pendant of swirls of colours that shimmered in the light in an abstract design. He communicated with Jorsan by expression and, realising exactly what the prince wanted the piece for, Jorsan took out the pendant and wrapped it silently.

Once that was done, Geran turned back to the elf. She was examining a statue of a tree which was done in a somewhat stylised way and had little glass 'petals' in all sorts of colours. The lovely statue shone in the light. Noticing him standing next to her, Alaea rose with a smile.

"It is like the trees at home, though our leaves are not so varicoloured." Geran raised an eyebrow slightly; he had never seen a tree exactly like that one, whatever the colour scheme. He home must have been stunningly beautiful though.

Alaea reached up slightly a kissed his cheek gently.

"Shall we go on?" She asked softly, leading him outside. Geran followed carefully ignoring the look on Jorsan's face at the blush that lit his face.

XXX

A few days later, Geran's family (and Alaea) were sitting around doing nothing in particular, when a messenger brought in a letter. As Ce'edra looked expectantly at her husband, Garion opened the letter. He smiled as he looked up again.

"It's from Zakath, just a moment." Alaea went back to her tablet weave. She looked up again when Garion next spoke. "Well, that will be fun." He commented dryly.

"What is it dear?" Ce'nedra asked, glancing up from her own embroidery.

"Zakath has decided he wants to take us up on the standing invitation to the Alorn council again." Geran looked at bit surprised. In the approximately 16 years since his rescue from Zandramas, the Mallorean emperor had only taken up the invitation once before, not that many years before. It had taken the better part of a decade to stabilise Mallorea after the turmoil caused by the Sardion and Zandramas. The first visit of the Mallorean emperor had been just a bit tense, that having been the first time in history an emperor of Mallorea had visited the home of the Orb of Aldur. Only the fact that Garion had made it well known that Zakath and his wife had been immediately involved in the rescue of Geran from Zandramas had prevented any serious problems with Zakath being there.

All the same Geran grinned, he liked the sardonic man who doted on his strange wife. He suspected that Cyradis and Alaea would get on well, from what he remembered of the former seeress. Suddenly he grinned.

"Do you think he will bring cats this time?" There was a general laugh amongst those old enough to remember his previous visit. Alaea raised an eyebrow enquiringly. "Zakath is a cat person and he has a female tabby, now the daughter of the original one, who provides him with a litter about once a year and he is constantly trying to find good homes for all the kittens. Last time he brought ones for mother and all of my sisters to keep as pets. I didn't get one since I have Wolf." She smiled as he gestured to the grey animal at Geran's feet. The wolf in question opened his eyes for a second blinked and went back to sleep against his human. Alaea laughed gently, she liked Geran's unusual pet.


End file.
